Wire-stranding machine



Dec. 9, 1930. NIGRO E AL 1,784,105

WIRE STRANDING MACHINE Filed April '7, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 9, 1930.

M. NIGRO ET AL WIRE STRANDING MACHINE Filed April 7, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 1930. M NIGRO ET AL 1,784,105

WIRE STRANDING MACHINE Filed April '7. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Make Z figywa 7147620? #1350202? By W Dec. 9, 1930. M. NIGRO ET AL 1,784,105

WIRE STRANDING MACHINE Filed April 7, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Maw hr Melee-Z Myra 7727/70? H 1570202? 2y WW6 Patented Dec. '9, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MICHEL NIGRO, WORCESTER, AND WILLIAM H. BLOUNT, OF WEST BROOKFIELD,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO SLEEPER & HARTLEY, INC. OF WORCESTER, MASSA- CHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS wmn-srmnnme MACHINE Application filed A ril 7,

This invention relates to a machine for for any other purpose. Ordinarily machines for this purpose involve the presence of rotating parts which cannot be done away with p and which necessarily twist the wires on their own axes before the wires are twisted together. This previous twisting of the wires is an evil that has been recognized but has not been overcome. It weakens the wire and introduces strains and weak spots which go into the finished work without detection. lhis invention is designed to feed two wires, or more if desired, to the twisting dies and keep these wires in an untwisted condition as they go through the rotating mechanism until they come to the point where they are to, be twisted together so that the parts of the cable will be formed of straight untwisted wires. 4

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a machine for twisting two wires together to form a cable in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central sectional view on enlarged scale of the intake end of the machine showing the wire guide and bearings for the rotating flier;

Fig. 4 is a similar View of the wire guide which is carried by the flier;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the gearing which controls the operation of the last-named wire guide;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of the op osite end of the machine; and

ig. 7 is, an end view of the stationary frame showing the brake apparatus.

This machine is shown in a form suitable for. carrying two wires a and I) through the machine and twisting them to form a cable 0 when they come out. For the purpose of preventing the wires from twisting individuall the following mechanism is employed.

T e machine comprises a stationary frame or standard 10 which carries ball bearings 11 for a central rotary flier 12. Fixed on 1927. Serial No. 181,864,

the stationary frame is a plate 13 at the intake end in which is a stationary guide 14 for the wire a. The flier 12 is out out to allow for the travel of this wire a at an angle to the axial line.

This wire is directed to a wire uide 16 carried by the rotary flier 12 in ball earings 15. This guide is in the form of a tube through which the wire passes and from which it extends to a guide roller 17 carried by the flier 12 at its opposite end near the ball bearings 11 which hold this end. The flier 12 is rovided with a guide 18 which rotates wit it and has two 'dies 19 and 20 which are not on centers. By their rotation they will twist the wires together to form .a cable as it is fed out of the machine and held at a point beyond.

The flier 12 is provided inside with a stationary frame 21 which has bearings for the studs of a spool 22 which carries the wire 6 wound up thereon. There is a i the end of this stationary frame or guiding the wire 6 to the die 20 in a straight line and also having a bearing on the flier. This stationary frame is provided with a stud 24 at the other end axially located and having a bearing at 25 on the flier 12 which rotates as above stated. On this stud is fixed a stationary gear 26 and on the frame 12 is an intermediate gear 27 meshing therewith. The wire guide 16 is provided with a gear 28 meshing with a gear 27 It will be seen that, as the flier 12 rotates, it will carr with it thestud 29 on which the gear 27 is reely mounted and as the gear 26 is stationary, this gear 27 will rotate in a counter-clock-wise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 if the rotation of the flier is in counter-clockwise direction. The two centers of the gears 27 and 28 are rotating together with the flier, but as the gear 27 is turning on its own axis, the gear 28 will have to turn on its own axis in a clock-wise direction. As the gear 27 rotates around the stud 24 throughout one complete revolution, it will rotate on its own axis through an are represented by a number of teeth equal to the number of teeth on the gear 26. The. gears 26 and 28 are of the same size and the same number of teeth.

guide 23 at Therefore the gear 28 willalso rotate through an arc represented by that number of teeth, namely a complete rotation on its own axis and in the reverse direction. The result is that the gear 28 will always be in the same position, that is, the same tooth or side will always be at the top. From this it follows that the guide 16, although it revolves around with the flier 12, does not rotate on its own axis at any time. This prevents any tendency of this guide to twist the wire a. The wire b is not twisted of course because it comes from the spool 22 which is on a stationary frame' This frame is kept stationary although having bearings at both ends on the flier 12 because of its inertia. There is nothing to rotate it but the friction on these bearings.

It has been stated that two wires 41 and I) pass out of the machine through the guides 19 and 20 and is then twisted. The rotation of the flier is provided for by a motor 30 which by a chain 31 drives a gear or sprocket 32 fixed to the flier. On the end of the flier is a sprocket wheel 33 which by a chain 34: drives a shaft 35 which is the driving shaft for a variable speed drive 36, the details of which are not illustrated. This drives with any desired speed through a belt or chain 37 a winding machine 38, the details of which are not a part of this invention. It has a drum 39 which coils up the twisted wire thereon for a few coils and then feeds it off to an ordinary machine used in this art which is operated by a belt 40.

On the ier is a brake drum 41 with which cooperates a pivoted brake shoe 42 operated by a link and lever construction 43 from a foot treadle 44. This is for the purpose of putting friction on the flier and quickly reducing its rotation when it is to be stopped.

It will be seen from this that the two wires are conveyed through the machine and one moved around the other without twisting them so that the wire which comes in from the end of the machine can be supported on the flier or directed to the machine in any desired way and yet it will go through without being twisted on its own axis until it is discharged from this machine. This is a very important advantage in this class of machines because the twisting of the wire induces fatigue and usually it is not possible to control it or to know how much twist a wire has received before it has been brought into contact with the other wire to form a cable.

\Ve have shown the machine as used for twisting two wires together but we are aware of the fact that the same principle may be employed for feeding wire for other purposes and for the feeding of a larger number of wires. Although we have illustrated and described only a single form of the invention we are aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims.

Therefore, we do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described, but what we do claim is 1. In a wire cable machine, the combination with a rotary flier and a non-rotatable frame carried thereby at the center thereof, 'a spool of wire supported by said frame, and means for guiding the wire from said spool centrally through the end of the flier, of a guide for another wire carried by the flier at a distance from the axis thereof beyond said spool, means for preventing the guide from rotating on its own axis as it revolves with the flier, and means for guiding the wires from the spool and guide to a point substantially in line with the axis of the flier without twisting either wire, said flier constituting means for then twisting them together.

2. In a wire twisting machine, the combination with a rotary flier and a non-rotatable frame located within the flier, and having a spool thereon for wire, of means for guiding the wire from the spool straight through the machine without twisting the wire, a wire guide mounted on the flier in longitudinal position at a distance from the center for another wire, gearing connecting the frame with the guide to rotate the guide reversely one complete revolution to each rotation of the flier positively, whereby the guide will maintain its same position at all times and the wire passing through it will not be twisted, and means beyond the flier, for holding the wires which the rotation of the flier twists together.

3. In a wire twisting machine, the combination of a stationary frame having guides at both ends for a wire, a flier rotatably mounted on the stationary frame on a longitudinal axis and provided with a rotary wire guide near its circumference for receiving a wire from one of theend guides and directing it around the flier to the other end guide, a stationary stud supported by the flier and located at the center thereof, a stationary gear on said stud, a gear of the same number of teeth fixed on said guide carried by the flier, and an intermediate gear meshing with both of said gears and mounted on the flier, whereby as the flier rotates, the central stationary gear will cause the intermediate gear to turn slowly in one direction and the gear on the guide to turn slowly in the opposite direction as the flier rotates so that the guide on the frame will always remain with the same side up throughout a complete rotation and the wire passing through it will receive no twisting tendency from the guide.

4. In a wire twisting machine, the combination with a rotary flier and a non-rotatable frame located within the interior of the flier and having a spool thereon for wire, of

lie

means for guiding the wire from the spool straight through the machine without twisting the wire, a wire guide rotatably mounted on the flier, positive means whereby the guide will maintain its. same absolute position at all times, and the wire passing through it will not be twisted, andTneans beyond the flier for holding the wires.-

5. In a wire twisting machine, the combination with a stationary frame having a stationary central guide at one end for receiving a wire, a rotary flier carrying the stationary frame and surrounding it, means for conducting the wire from the end guide through the machine centrally from the stationary frame, means for turning said-wire on its axis in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of the flier to prevent twistin of that wire,-means for feeding another wire without twisting it, and means for holding the two wires as they are twisted together.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto afiixed our signatures.

MICHEL NIGRO. WILLIAM H. BLOUNT. 

